Caustic
by Experimental Protocol
Summary: A series of one-shots about the fabulous Octava Espada, Szayel Aporro Granz. Rated T for the man's occasional violent tendencies.
1. Caustic

**A/N: This is to be the first story in a series of one-shots about that fabulous pink-haired Espada, Szayel Aporro Granz. This is also my first attempt at fanfiction, so as of right now I'm merely trying to capture the different aspects of his personality in writing as sort of practice for later fics. I would really appreciate any reviews you may give me so that I can learn from my mistakes in this practice series and become a better author!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this series, but Tite Kubo does. If you wish to steal them, I would recommend breaking into his house and not mine.**

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Caustic  
_Able to burn, corrode, or destroy living tissue_

Szayel Aporro Granz pushed up his glasses before leaning down to check the progress of the distillation. Vapor rose from a boiling solution before passing down a condenser tube and dripping out the opposite end into another flask as a clear, colorless liquid. Everything looked to be in order, so far. His amber eyes drifted to the thermometer he had inserted: 83.2 degrees Celsius. A small grin curled the corners of the Octava Espada's lips as he straightened from his stooping position; he had achieved scientific perfection once again.

Of course, anything less than perfection was unacceptable. The invention of a new toxic weapon to corrode an opponent's spiritual power was only a small favor to his Lord Aizen, but Szayel refused to allow this project to end in anything but success. Failure would be an intolerable affront to his abilities as a scientist. This was also the reason that Szayel had performed each of the steps leading to the toxin's creation himself instead of leaving it in the hands of his thick-skulled fracción.

Now the effort he had put into the project was about to pay off. The distillation was almost complete, and the first sample of Szayel's newest spirit-weapon was nearly ready to be tested. Testing his own weaponry was his favorite part of the entire creative process. For him, seeing his subjects' contorted faces as they screamed in pain and terror was the ultimate confirmation that he was both a formidable weapons designer and a flawless scientist.

Szayel clasped his hands behind his back and contented himself with thoughts of testing his toxin as he watched it drip slowly from the condenser. He didn't immediately notice when a particularly dim-witted fracción carrying a large tub of orange fluid approached him from behind and began to bounce and chant, "Master Szayel Aporro! Hello, Master Szayel Aporro!" Szayel DID notice the presence of his subordinate after some of the orange liquid he carried splashed from its tub and landed on the back of one of Szayel's shins, turning a large portion of his hakama orange and sending a burst of pain up his leg.

An expression of surprise took over his features as Szayel glanced quickly down at his ruined pants. It was soon replaced by a snarl, and in a burst of rage the scientist seized the flask containing his freshly distilled toxin and drenched his shocked fracción with its contents.

Nothing happened immediately except that the fracción stopped bouncing to stare confoundedly up at its master. As seconds passed the creature suddenly dropped the tub it was carrying to seize its head with both hands. Shrieks of pain filled the lab as its soul began to corrode, releasing spiritual energy in erratic waves.

Szayel watched this display of agony dispassionately, then glanced down at the empty flask in his hands. The toxin worked exactly as he had planned! He would have to replace the fracción that was currently making a mess as it died on the floor of his laboratory, but such a price was small when it had bought him such an excellent demonstration of this new weapon's abilities. Knowing that it worked, Szayel would now begin to mass-create batches of the stuff for use by the rest of Aizen's army. His prowess as a creator of spiritual weaponry had proven itself again.

Szayel allowed the small grin to take over his features once more.

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**I know that this one-shot was somewhat dark in nature. In order to give a more well-rounded and complete picture of Szayel, I'll make some of the following stories more... fabulous? Unless, of course, you reviewers out there tell me to write some more about the dark sides to Szayel's personality. In that case, I'll write some of both! So, what did you think?**


	2. Dessicative

**A/N: This is the second chapter of my series of one-shots about Szayel Aporro Granz. These one-shots don't really have anything to do with each other, so even though this is the second chapter it doesn't directly follow up from the end of the first. One thing that I noticed about the first one-shot was that it didn't contain any speaking parts beyond the really short one from the fracción, and since this is a practice series I figured I should try writing dialogue (it is a very essential part of any fanfic author's skill set). So, here we go! Dialogue!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this series, but Tite Kubo does. If you wish to steal them, I would recommend breaking into his house and not mine.**

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Desiccative  
_Capable of bleeding out other substances and draining them of vitality_

Yammy Rialgo stomped down one of the many white corridors of Las Noches as he made his way to his quarters. He had the tip of his left pinky finger inserted into his ear and he absently rotated it as he walked, not paying the slightest attention to the admittedly boring environment. He only became aware of a change in his surroundings when a second arrancar appeared before him, staring up at Yammy with a smile gracing his features. The expression might have been disarming had it belonged to anyone other than Szayel Aporro Granz.

Yammy stopped walking as he neared the scientist, then removed the finger from his ear and growled, "You, eh? Whaddaya want?"

"Well Yammy, since you ask, I am currently searching for someone who will help me test a new piece of technology that I just finished developing." Szayel pushed up his glasses with a single finger, causing the lenses to catch the light. He lowered his hand and clasped it behind his back with the other. "Since you appear to be free, would you consider being the one to assist me? I assure you that it would be a great help to both me and to Lord Aizen."

Yammy glowered down at the shorter hollow. "Eh? Not interested. Why doncha go an' bother Starrk, he's never doin' anythin'."

"I tried to ask Starrk for his assistance, but when I knocked on the door to his room Lilynette just shouted through it at me that she didn't want me 'trying any of my sick experiments on Starrk' while he slept." Szayel moved a hand from behind his back and placed his fingertips on his chest for dramatic effect. "Imagine! Not trusting me, when I am a fellow Espada and a valuable comrade. How dreadful!"

Yammy sneered. "Quit bein' so showy. Fine, I might help ya, depends on what yer testin'."

Szayel removed the hand from his chest and reached into his pocket. "What I've been developing, the piece of technology that I wish to test now, is something that I call the Caja Negación." When the hand came out of his pocket there was a small black cube held between his fingertips. "This is a device used to imprison lower-ranking arrancar as a punishment. A hollow with as much spiritual power as an Espada should be able to resist its effects though. Care to give it a try?"

"You mus' be jokin'. I'm not gonna test somethin' like that! It sounds like a total bore." Yammy resumed walking down the corridor, reaching out to shove Szayel aside as he did so.

The smaller arrancar would have none of it. Szayel quickly jumped out of Yammy's reach and tossed the Caja Negación at him. His aim was precise, and the black cube found its mark as it entered the space of Yammy's hollow hole. Immediately ribbons of light and darkness burst from the cube and surrounded Yammy, imprisoning him within colorless walls.

"What the hell is this! What the hell did you do, Granz!" The black ribbons completely surrounded the bewildered arrancar, covering the white ones and creating a dark and roughly cube-shaped prison around him. The black shape shrank into nothingness as the trap snapped completely shut and sealed him away.

Szayel watched the darkness vanish, then turned and headed back in the direction from which he had come. As he left he flipped a strand of pink hair over his shoulder and grinned. So, Yammy thought that he could just brush the master scientist aside lightly? Well then, he could have fun trying to escape the separate dimension that the Caja Negación had just sealed him into.

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**I like picking on Yammy. I don't know why, it's just fun.**

**Again if you have any critiques, comments, or suggestions for me, I would love to read them.**


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